Button stitching machines



May 11, 1965 M. PEDERSEN BUTTON STITCHING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1960 3 sheetwsheet 1 INVENTOR.

' ERSEN BY MATHIAS PED M; W

ATTORN EY May 11, 1965 M- PEDERSEN 3,182,618

BUTTON STITCHING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1960 3 he tsmm 2 MATHIAS PEDERSEN Maw ATTORN EY May 11, 1965 M. PEDERSEN 3,182,613

BUTTON STITCHING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY MATHIAS PEDERSEN fwz W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,182,618 BUTTON STITCHING MACHENEfi Mathias Pedersen, Valley Stream, N.Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a eorpora= tion ct New Jersey Griginal application Apr. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 20,142, new Patent No. 3,132,613, dated May 12, 1964. Divided and this application Apr. 36, 1963, Ser. No. 276,842 2 Claims. (til. IKE-110) This application constitutes a division of copending application, Serial No. 20,142 filed April 5, 1960 for Button Stitching Machines, now Patent 3,132,613 granted May 12, 1964.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and more particularly to improvements in machines for attaching buttons and similar fastening devices to materials, such as mens and womens coats and the like, in a manner closely simulating hand sewing.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a machine which effects the attachment of buttons in the manner described above, and also includes mechanism operative to handle the thread in such manner that at all times a minimum of tension is imposed thereon, and it is so controlled that danger of snarling, spitting by the needle, or breaking is substantially eliminated.

The invention constitutes improvements to button stitching machines of the type disclosed in Patterson et al. Patent 2,739,550, granted March 27, 1956, and uses a needle having an eye between its pointed ends. In this type of machine, the needle is threaded with a relatively short thread having a fixed end and a free end, and in the course of attaching a button, the loose end of the thread is pulled through the button and the work and maintained clear of the path of the needle. In accordance with the invention, there are provided improved means for handling the thread not only above thework, but also below the work so that at all times during the operation of the machine of which the invention forms a part, there is a positive control exerted on the thread. Thus there is less wear and tear on the thread, and each button sewed is more firmly and uniformly secured to-the work, and i will remain in its attached position longer in the normal wearing of a garment to which it is attached. This desirable improvement is achieved by providing thread supporting means positioned above and below the work supporting table onwhich the goods rest, and also providing alternately operating thread handling and pulling means which coact with the supporting means inpulling the loose end of the thread through the material and disposing it upon one or the other of the supporting means alternately.

We have found that in a button sewing machine of the type described, there is a tendency for the needle to deflect away from the work as it travels downwardly therethrough. This results in needle breakage. The invention therefore includes the provision of means coacting with the needle in such way that the needle is always constrained to move in a given perpendicular path downwardly as it passed through a selected hole in a button and through the material. In this manner needle breakage is held to a minimum and for all practical purposes eliminated.

It is an object of the invention to provide means coacting with a needle in such manner that any tendency of the needle to deflect out of its normal path of travel is substantially eliminated, thereby reducing breakage of needles to a minimum.

The invention is further characterized by the provision of a movable needle guide adapted to be positioned adjacent the path of travel of the needle and so located with respect to a button and the work that as the needle moves 3,182,618 Patented Wiay 11, 1965 ice in View, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will behereinafter fully described,

, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a button stitching machine embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 isa side elevation, partly insection, of the samer- I FIG. 3is a plan view of theupper looper arm in conjunction with its thread guide channel, taken on line 3-3i of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detailed plan view of the needle guidemember.

FIG. 5 is a partial detailed side elevation of elements employed in the button stitching operation.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section illustrating the thread pulling action of the upper looper during post winding operation.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side elevations illustrating the suc-' cessive upper and lower looper actions during buttonstitching operations.

Referring to FIGS. land 2 of the drawings, the button sewing machine, which may be of the same general type as that shown in the above referred to Patterson et al. patent, comprises a centersupport frame designated generally Ill and a combined frame and housing 12 spaced from and secured to frame ltl by a suitable supporting:

member 14.

The machine is provided with .an upper needle bar 16 and an opposed lower needle bar 18 mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in opposed axial alignment on the opposite sides of work supporting member 116 of the machine. Needle bars 16 and-18am provided'with actuating members 29 and 22 respectively. Actua-ting member 20 for upper needle bar 16, as shown in FIG. 5, slidablyw engages with a block 24 pivotally mounted on the free end or" actuating arm 26. Actuating member 2-2 for lower needle bar 18 slidably engages a block 28 pivotally mount ed on the free end. of actuating arm 30 which imparts vertical reciprocating motion'tolowerneedle bar 18. Upper and lower needle bars 16 and 18 are guided in suitable bushings 32 and 34, respectively. The construction and operation of actuating arms 26 and 30 and upper andlower needle bars 16 and 1.8 are essentially the same as disclosed in the above mentioned Patterson etal. patent, and since their specific constructions do not form specific parts of the invention, further description and disclosure thereof are omitted in the interest of brevity.

As mentioned hereinabove, the sewing machine disclosed uses a double ended needle- 36 having an eye located between its pointed ends, preferably about mid* way through its length through which the thread passes. In accordance with the invention, the machine is provided with novel thread pulling mechanism in the form of an upper thread puller 40 and a coacting lower thread puller 33. These thread pullers are so constructed and operate in such manner that the thread is subjected to a minimum of strain as one or the other of the thread pullers pulls the loose end of the thread either through a selected button hole and the material, or througha selected button hole only after each pass of the needle through one or the other. In other words, one of the thread pullers-38 or 40 operates during each half cycle of the machine.

Lower thread puller 33, as shown in FIGURESv 1,v 2 and 3, comprises an arm 39 adjustably attached to lever arm 42 mounted on horizontal shaft 44 rotatably supported by two bearing brackets 46 and 48, suitably secured to the frame of the machine. A gear 50 mounted on shaft 44 meshes with an intermediate gear 52 supported on stud 68. Gear 52 meshes with and is driven by gear 54 mounted on shaft 56 rotatably supported in bracket 48 and other suitable bearing brackets (not shown). Attached to shaft 56 is another gear 58 which through intermediate gear 60 mounted on stud 66 meshes with and is driven by gear 62 mounted on the main drive shaft of the machine.

Carried on the free end of lower thread puller 38 is a suitably shaped thread pulling member 70 which is operative to engage a loop of thread L (FIG. 8) formed after needle 36 is passed in one direction through a selected portion of the material, i.e., a selected button hole and material M to which it is being attached, by upper needle bar 16, and then pulled downwardly and moved slightly upwardly by lower needle bar 18 as it passes needle 36 in the opposite direction through another selected portion of the material, i.e., a selected hole in button B, and into the upper needle bar 16. The construction and operation of the needle bars, as mentioned hereinabove, are essentially the same as that described and illustrated in the above mentioned Patterson et al. patent and further description and disclosure thereof are deemed to be unnecessary.

It will be understood that, as in the machine illustrated in the Patterson et al. patent, the material to which a button is to be attached is bent or folded over the nose N of work support table 116 and the latter is disposed, as shown in FIG. 7, for attachment of a button thereto. The work support table 116 can be of the same type as that disclosed in the Patterson et al. patent. It is mounted for movement into and out of selected operative positions between the opposed needle bars, as shown in FIGS. -8 inclusive, and its path of movement is controlled by suitable cam means (not shown) in order that the desired passing of the needle back and forth through the button and material M, and the button only may take place in the sequence illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 inclusive, and also as shown and described in detail in the Patterson et al. patent.

As viewed in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, thread puller 38 rotates in a clockwise direction, and its thread pulling member 70 after engaging with a loop of thread L, pulls the loose end of the thread downwardly through a selected hole in button B and the material M, and disposes it in an arcuate thread receiving channel or tube 72. Channel or tube 72 is attached by suitable means, such as screws 74, to posts 76 preferably formed integrally with center support frame 10. Thread receiving channel 72 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially square in cross section and its front side is provided with an arcuate slot-like opening 78 through which the shank of thread puller 38 extends during its thread pulling and disposing operation. Obviously if desired, tube 72 could have any other suitable cross sectional shape. It should be noted that as the loose end of the thread is pulled by pulling member 70 it is not only confined by the walls of tube 72 against whipping and other damage thereto, but also is disposed thereby on the bottom support surface of tube 72. Thus the thread is maintained clear of the path of needle 36 below work support table 116.

Upper thread puller comprises an arm 41 adjustably mounted on lever arm 80 which in turn is attached to the forward end of horizontal shaft 82, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At the opposite end of shaft 82 is attached a gear 84. Shaft 82 is rotatably supported in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine. Gear 84 is driven by an intermediate idler gear 86 meshing with and driven by a gear loosely mounted on horizontal stationary shaft 90 suitably supported in the frame of the machine, .Gear 88 is provided with a hub thread puller 33.

on which is formed a gear 92 meshing with gear 94 which in turn meshes with and is driven by gear 62 on the main drive shaft 64 of the machine.

Suspended from the free end of shaft is a bearing lug 05 which at its free end fixedly supports stud 98 on which gear 86 is rotatably mounted. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, stud 98 also is supported by another bearing lug 100 which is loosely mounted on and suspended from the end of shaft 82. Bearing bracket 100 operates to stabilize the position of stud 98 and thereby to maintain gear 86 in proper meshing engagement with gear 88.

Carried on the free end of thread puller arm 41 is a thread pulling member 102, which is of the same design and construct-ion as thread pulling member 70 of lower Thread pulling member 102 operates to engage with a loop of thread L2 which is formed after needle 36 is passed upwardly by needle bar 18 through a selected button hole in button B to upper needle bar 16 which then moves slightly downwardly in the same general manner as disclosed and described in detail in the above mentioned Patterson et al. patent. Reference is made to FIG. 7 of the drawings which discloses the formation of loop L2 and the engagement of thread pulling member 102 of thread puller 40 therewith.

As in the case of thread puller 38, upper thread puller 40, as viewed in FIGURE 1, also moves in a clockwise direction. In this way, as thread pulling member 102 carried by thread puller 40 moves into engagement with loop L2, it pulls the loose end of the thread upwardly through the work, i.e., a selected hole in button B and disposes it in arcuate thread receiving channel or tube 104. This channel or tube 104 may be attached directly to the frame of the machine as in the case of thread receiving tube 72. However, as illustrated herein, tube 104 is attached by suitable means, such as screws 106, to a suitably shaped support member 108 hingedly mounted on the upper portion of housing member 110 of the machine. It will be appreciated that whenever it is desired to make repairs or adjustments to the upper portion of the machine, supporting member 108 may be swung upwardly, thereby providing access to the parts of the machine in housing member 110. Fixed to supporting member 103 is a plate 109 which serves as a safety guard to prevent injury to the operator of the machine.

Tube 104, like tube 72, is substantially square in cross section, although it could have any other suitable cross sectional shape if desired. The front side of tube 104 is provided with an arcuate slot or opening 112 through 'Which the shank of thread pulling member 102 extends during its thread pulling and disposing operation. Thread receiving channel or tube 104 performs the same function as channel 72.

The nature and construction of thread receiving channels or tubes 72 and 104 provide means for carrying out one of the objects of the invention which is to confine the thread and prevent it from whipping and fraying and also to dispose and support the loose end of the thread at all times clear of the path of travel of the needle.

As shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, thread pullers 38 and 40 are approximately out of phase. Each revolves a full 360 once during each half cycle of the machine in pulling the loose end of the thread through and away from the work after each pass of the needle. This prevents interference between the needle and the loose end of the thread during sewing operations, eliminates undue tension or harmful strain on the loose end of the thread and also prevents whipping or thread fraying during the operation of the machine, as described above.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the position of the thread pulling members 70 and 102, the work support table 116, the button chuck 114, and the upper and lower needle bars 16 and 18 during the respective movements of needle 36 in opposite directions.

FIG. 6 illustrates the general operation of the ma- U chine during the posting operation or the operation in which thread is wound around the shank of thread extending between material M and the under side of button 13 so as to form a firm post which supports the button away from the material M to which it is attached in a manner closely simulating hand sewing. With further.

reference to FIG. 6, it will be understood that chuck lid and work support table H6 are moved alternately by cam means (not shown) to the right and left in order that the needle may move down along one side of the shank of thread and then up along the other as it winds thread about the shank to form the desired post.

As mentioned heretofore, button B is held properly with respect to material M to which it is to be attached in the jaws of button chuck 114. The construction and operation of button chuck 114, the work support table He .and the manner in which they are moved relative to needle 36 and needle bars 16 and 18 in effecting the desired attaching and post winding operations may be the same as those disclosed and described in the Patterson et a l. patent above referred to, so that further detailed description and disclosure thereof are deemed to be unnecessary.

Referring to FIGURES 5, 7 and 8, it will be noted that the material M to which a button is to be attached is folded over the nose of support table 116. As shown more particularly in FIGURE 7 the first pass of the needle downwardly through a selected hole of button B and then through the material M is such that the needle 36 passes through the material M in the form of a blind stitch. As the needle 36 moves downwardly against the material it has a tendency to deflect and bend out of its true vertical path of movement into needle bar 13. Since this condition is undesirable, there is provided a needle guide finger 118 which insures that needle 3:) at all times will pass in its true vertical or aligned path from needle bar 16 into its complementary needle bar 13. By means of this finger flexing and breakage of needles is held to a minimum.

In the case of a mans coat, such for example as a three button coat, the two lower buttons are attached in such a way that the first stitch is passed through all of the fabric and appears on the under side of the garment as a tack stitch. In efiecting this tack stitch, guide finger 118 is instrumental in insuring the proper guiding of the needle downwardly through a selected button hole and through the material to which the button is attached. This condition is different from that described above which applies with respect to the top button Where the first stitch is a blind stitch. The pattern of the cam means (not shown) which control the selective movements of work support table 116, is such as to dispose the material relative to needle 35 so that the desired positioning of material M is obtained during button stitching and post winding operatime As shown in FIGURE 4, guide finger 1-18 is provided with a suitably shaped curved portion 119 which is adapted to be moved momentarily into a position adjacent needle 36 during the time that needle 36 is moving downwardly int-o and through material M. Guide finger 1 18 is formed with a suitably shaped hub 121 on its upper portion (FIGURE which is mounted on shaft 120. The rear end of shaft 120 is clamped to the free end of an arm 122, the other end of which is formed with a fork 124- in which engages a roller 12.6 pivotally carried by the free end of an actuating arm or lever 128 loosely r I '6 supported on shaft 9% Actuating lever 128 forms one arm of a compound lever having another arm 13% which mounts a cam follower or roller 132. Follower 132 runs on a suitably designed cam 13 i mounted on shaft 82. The shape of earn 134 and its timing are such that guide finger 118 is moved towards and from needle 36 in proper timed relation with the movement of needle bar 16 in its operation in passing needle 31: through the button B and material M. Shaft 12!) is rotatably supported in a suitable bearing lug projecting from the frame structure of the machine. A tension spring 138 (FIGURE 2) is provided for the purpose of maintaining cam follower 132 constantly in engagement with earn 134.

I claim:

1. In .a button sewing machine having a movable'work supporting table for supporting material to which a button is to be'sewed, a butt-on holding member for holding a button in position to be sewed to said material, and means comprising opposed axially aligned needle bars for projecting a double pointed needle and a thread back and forth through selected holes in said button and said work to attach said button to said work, a needle guiding device for constraining said needle to move along a predetermined straight line path of movement through a selected button hole and said material, said device comprising a finger adapted to be moved laterally into a position closely adjacent said needle, means mounting said finger for movement into said position only during the travel of said needle in one of said needle bars to prevent flexing of said needle out of its normal straight line path of travel upon engagement with said material and in passing through a hole of said button, and operating means for controlling the movement of said finger into said position when said needle is to be moved downwardly by said one of said needle bars through said button and into said material.

2. In a button stitching machine having opposed axially aligned needle bars, said needle bars being adapted to project a double pointed needle back and forth through a button and the material to which said button is to be attached, said needle having an eye between its ends through which a thread having a fixed and a loose end passes, and support means'adapted to support a button and work to which said button isto be attached in the path of travel of said needle and to move said button and said Work relative to said needle in accordance with a predetermined stitching pattern, a guide finger mounted above said support means, and operating means for moving said guide finger into coacting relationship with said needle only as said needle is moved in one direction by one of said needle bars through a selected hole in said button and work to constrain the needle to move in a predetermined straight line path of motion through said work in being delivered by one needle bar into the other, whereby said needle is prevented from flexing out of its desired path of travel, and said finger is maintained clear of the path of travel of said needle as it is moved by said other of said needle bars in the opposite direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,408,821 3/22 Merrick 1-12227 2,692,569 10/54 Ketterer 112-227 2,739,550 3/56 Patterson et a1. 112-110 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BUTTON SEWING MACHINE HAVING A MOVABLE WORK SUPPORTING TABLE FOR SUPPORTING MATERIAL TO WHICH A BUTTON IS TO BE SEWED, A BUTTON HOLDING MEMBER FOR HOLDING A BUTTON IN POSITION TO BE SEWED TO SAID MATERIAL AND MEANS COMPRISING OPPOSED AXIALLY AND A THREAD BACK AND PROJECTING A DOUBLE POINTED NEEDLE AND A THREAD BACK AND FORTH THROUGH A SELECTED HOLES IN SAID BUTTON AND SAID WORK TO ATTACH SAID BUTTON TO SAID WORK, A NEEDLE GUIDING DEVICE FOR CONSTRAINING SAID NEEDLE TO MOVE ALONG A PREDETERMINED STRAIGHT LINE PATH OF MOVEMENT THROUGH A SELECTED BUTTON HOLE AND SAID MATERIAL, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A FINGER ADAPTED TO MOVED LATERALLY INTO A POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID NEEDLE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FINGER FOR MOVEMENT INTO SAID POSITION ONLY DURING THE TRAVEL OF SAID NEEDLE IN ONE OF SAID NEEDLE BARS TO PREVENT FLEXING OF SAID NEEDLE OUT OF ITS NORMAL STRAIGHT LINE PATH OF TRAVEL UPON ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MATERIAL AND IN PASSING THROUGH A HOLE OF SAID BUTTON, AND OPERATING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FINGER INTO SAID POSITION WHEN SAID NEEDLE IS TO BE MOVED DOWNWARDLY BY SAID ONE OF SAID NEEDLE BARS THROUGH SAID BUTTON AND INTO SAID MATERIAL. 